A summer on stage: Monroe teacher performing in new Ann Arbor musical

ANN ARBOR — St. Mary Catholic Central High School ’s choir teacher is spending his summer in the theater.

Chris Knudsen, who also is the music director at Monroe's St. Michael Catholic Church, is playing Jeff in the premiere of “ Gearheads: The Musical .” The show runs Aug. 9-11 at the Mendelssohn Theatre on the campus of the University of Michigan .

Knudsen is the only Monroe County resident in the cast of 18.

“Gearheads: The Musical” was written by Michigan native Dave Nettleman. A musician and U-M alumni, he’s never written a screenplay.

“This is my first,” Nettleman said. “I’d never undertaken a project this large, but I just tackled it one scene or song at a time, without worrying about how long it would take. Five years later it was done, and we’ve spent the last two years getting it ready for the stage.”

“Gearheads” takes place in a Toledo auto repair shop. The owner and service manager are always away, so the mechanics run the shop and aren’t too interested in working.

“Along the way, love is lost and found, the youngest mechanic has a coming-of-age experience and the shop becomes a place where everyone belongs,” Nettleman explained.

Knudsen is a married dad of six, but he remembers a time when he was a bit like his character, Jeff.

“Jeff is a quiet soul who has succumbed to the idea that he will never find love. When I was in and just out of college, I did spend much time discouraged that romance was not for me, and that I couldn't find love. So, I can remember that period in my life and identify with that,” Knudsen said. “Jeff journeys through this struggle after meeting a woman while fixing her car, and that journey makes him intriguing.”

A challenge for Jeff is connecting to that woman, Candy.

“He can't seem to get out of his own way. It's not easy finding the tension between these two extremes,” Knudsen said. “But, that's also the fun of playing a role like this: exploring and living in the struggle a human being is going and growing through.”

Knudsen also enjoys the musical's songs.

“I love the music for the role. In particular, two songs in Act 2, ‘A Smarter Heart’ and ‘Unspoken Thoughts,’ are beautiful songs that Dave wrote. It's been so much fun diving in and working on them. I can't wait to perform them onstage,” Knudsen said.

A 20-piece pit orchestra accompanies the songs.

“I wrote the score in the style of the ‘golden age’ musicals of the 1950s and ‘60s, with conventional ballads, character songs, situation songs and dance breaks," Nettleman said. "The show should appeal to anyone who likes the classic musical comedies, such as ‘Guys and Dolls’ and ‘The Music Man.' I think audiences will particularly enjoy hearing our talented cast sing; their voices are gorgeous."

"Gearheads: The Musical" has a brief intense drama scene with bloodshed.

"The show isn’t recommended for young children," Nettleman said.

Knudsen has a bachelor’s degree in drama from Catholic University, Washington, D.C. He’s acted in several shows and directed others. He’s served as a pit conductor and played keyboard for Monroe Community Players and Monroe's River Raisin Centre for the Arts. Among his favorite acting role was Jesus in “Godspell.”

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"I played Jesus in a small community theater in New York when I lived there. I believe it was in 2007. It was a lot of fun, and I really love that show and its music," he said.

Tickets for "Gearheads: The Musical" are $25 each. The show is produced by Interact Entertainment. For more information or tickets, visit gearheadsthemusical.com or InterACTEntertainment.com .

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com .

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: A summer on stage: Monroe teacher performing in new Ann Arbor musical